


glimpses of hope at the brink of despair

by xxDecretumxx



Category: Magia Record: Puella Magi Madoka Magica Side Story, Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: And after chapter ten of the main story, But it's supposed to be romantic, F/F, Flirting, Kyoko is actually sort-of mature??, Major spoilers for Magia Record, Minor spoilers for Different Story, Spoilers, Takes place during chapter nine of the main story, You can read Mifuyu and Kyoko as a friendship, first name basis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 23:42:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23735563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxDecretumxx/pseuds/xxDecretumxx
Summary: “Hey, dumbass!” A slap on the face broke Mifuyu’s concentration. “Whaddya think you’re doing?” Mifuyu blinked.“Destroying the rumor,” was her sharp reply.Kyoko gets in the way of Mifuyu's sacrifice of herself.
Relationships: Mifuyu Azusa/Kyoko Sakura
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

This was, Mifuyu thought, her way of paying penance. She had many times before heard of magical girls in a desperate spot sacrificing their own soul and fracturing it beyond return. She never thought a veteran like her would ever get the chance to make such a sacrifice. In fact, she always assumed her fear would be too strong to allow her to die in such an (in her opinion) macabre fashion. 

Even now, doubts assailed her. Her own weakness of spirit, ridiculously persistent even after her reformation, added on to Momoko protective words, nearly killed her aspiration. As it was, she considered running back to Momoko, sobbing, and revealing she was too coward to fulfill her undertaking, to willingly stand before such a ghastly monster and condemn the two of them at the same time. Yet she had no choice but to persevere, flashing what certainly would be a last smile back at her former teammate.

“I’m sorry,” she mumbled, her last words, and even if Momoko couldn’t hear them, it was enough to give the woman strength. To sever her debt and ask for forgiveness from a higher entity, if one such as that truly did exist. Striding towards the Rumor, she took a deep breath as she began to work her magic.

“Hey, dumbass!” A slap on the face broke Mifuyu’s concentration. “Whaddya think you’re doing?” Mifuyu blinked.

“Destroying the rumor,” was her sharp reply. The red-haired Kyoko Sakura in front of her sighed deeply.

“Yeah, I can see that, but I find it awfully stupid of you, just how you’re doing it.” The Rumor gave an unearthly howl while the two started. Eyes narrowed, Mifuyu threw Kyoko out of the way, rolling to the other side herself. Even now, she could feel her resolve slipping, and anyway, the sooner this monster was dealt with the sooner she could rest easy. “Hey! Wait!”

“What is it?” she half hissed, her temper high. “What pressing objection do you hold, Miss Sakura?” It was wrong of her to speak in such a manner, but time was short and Kyoko wouldn’t misunderstand her words for hatred, that much was obvious. Lights flashed as a monstrous parade of stuffed bears threatened to crush her. Kyoko’s spear lengthened and struck them through, and the red-haired girl casually walked over to Mifuyu and punched her in the gut.

“What is wrong with you?” she asked. “Stop taking the easy way out. Do you truly want to die without seeing your estranged friends again?” Kyoko took a shuddering breath. “Because if so, I’ll withdraw.” Gasping for air, Mifuyu disdainfully glanced up at the other girl.

“I don’t want to die without seeing Yachan again,” she admitted, “but at this rate, none of us will live to see anyone ever again. So at least,” she stood tall, “I can pay penance and save as many people as possible.”

“You’re far too romantic,” was Kyoko’s reply as she stood, hanging her head in hands. “Do you really think that will solve anything? Stop joking around.” Flint in her gaze, she grasped Mifuyu’s hand. “Admit it. You want to be selfish, to save yourself.” Spinning her around, she wrapped Mifuyu into a hug. “After all, who else will care for you but yourself?” 

It wasn’t the first time in a while she had experienced such close human contact, and it was obvious that Kyoko only did it to convince her not to save herself--the reasoning for that, who knew. Perhaps she was needed to fight Walpurgis-Nacht or to infiltrate the Magius. Maybe Kyoko just didn’t want to see someone else die. No matter the reason, Mifuyu found herself sobbing into the other girl’s chest. Snot ran down the scarlet magical girl’s uniform, but as long as Kyoko didn’t care, she didn’t either. And anyway, Mifuyu was long past feelings of shame.

“Then let’s defeat it together,” she replied after what felt like an eternity but couldn’t have been too long in reality, judging from how the Rumor was only readying to attack. Kyoko grinned. 

There weren’t any feelings of friendship or the bonds of a team between them. They both knew that as they clasped hands. Yet, together, they would continue to fight.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun’s dying rays flickered through a half-open window, the red carpet turning scarlet in the golden light-

Nah. Who was she kidding? Kyoko had never been one for romanticism, and such a round-about way of saying that dusk was fast approaching didn’t suit her. Such subliminal poetry might better suit Mami Tomoe, or maybe the grey-haired chick. It seemed like she was into sentimental slop as well, judging from the day’s earlier events.

“Miss. Sakura.” Speak of the devil and she will appear. Kyoko lazily turned to the girl in question, dressed in a dark cotton robe. She looked down at the ground in hesitation? apprehension? It was never the red-haired girl’s place to read the emotions on another’s face--Mami was the expert at that.

Damn! And now she was thinking of Mami again. It was irritating for her former mentor to penetrate her thoughts in such a way from a sole meeting. The girl before her seemed to take note and cautiously peered into the younger girl’s scarlet eyes.

“Are you thinking about Mami Tomoe?” she ventured. Looking up, Kyoko chuckled. What was the name of this girl--no, at this point, it would be more fitting to call her a woman. She vaguely remembered the tsundere calling her Mifuyu, but casually referring to a near-stranger by first name felt too informal. On the other hand, Kyoko was never one to care for formality. 

“Yes,” was Kyoko’s short reply. “How did you know… Mifuyu?” Mifuyu gave a start hearing her name called so candidly, but settled into a gentle smile. It seemed all right to continue calling her in such a manner, in that case.

“Well, Miss. Sakura--may I call you Kyoko?--I hate to say it, but you don’t seem to be a master at concealing your emotions. And as Mami told me, you two haven’t met for quite a long time.” A flicker of sadness ran across the adult’s face, perhaps as she sensed a similarity in Kyoko and Mami’s strained relationship to the one with the blue-haired veteran hosting them in her house. 

“How perceptive of you, Mifuyu,” drawled Kyoko, standing slowly and beginning to make her way over. When only about half a meter apart, she leaned forward, a smirk resting on her face. “And I find Kyoko to be just fine. Do you know what it means?” Flushed, maybe because of the compliment, probably due to the close proximity, Mifuyu backed up a few paces to find herself against a wall.

“No,” she replied, attempting to match Kyoko’s easy grin. “But I never thought you’d be the type to find interest in the significance of names.” Kyoko chortled at the other girl’s attempt to gain ground. 

“You’re just right, Mifuyu! Who knows the meaning of my name.” A pause as Kyoko thought on the topic for a few seconds. “And who cares.” Defiant, Mifuyu took a step forward to match Kyoko’s gaze.

“I’ve heard it means ‘Apricot’” Mifuyu ventured, resulting in a laugh from the other girl. “Do you like apricots, Kyoko?”

“Never really been a fan,” she admitted. “I prefer apples.” For a brief moment, her smirk fell. “They were what led me to sin--it only makes sense for me to continue to devour them.” Then she smiled again, hands on hips. “Though I can’t say I dislike it, what’s with the cause of all this new-found interest in me, Mifuyu?”

“Oh!” And she flushed again. How cute. Mifuyu reminded her of Mami even more, now that they had this talk--though perhaps the sort of Mami who had fallen from grace. A corrupted, older Mami. Kyoko quite liked the comparison, even if she herself knew how far from the truth it was. Likely, it was only her lack of true human contact for so long which made her compare the two. Maybe it was only attraction towards both girls on her part which invoked such thoughts in her mind. “Ah, I just wanted to thank you. For saving me.” Kyoko looked blankly at Mifuyu before laughing. The grey-haired girl seemed taken aback as Kyoko ran a hand through her long hair. She well-understood Mifuyu’s confusion--the scornful laughter would seem unprovoked if another treated Kyoko in such a way. 

“You obviously still haven’t understood my lesson if you’re thanking me,” she replied, sitting down on the room’s bed, gesturing for the woman to follow suit. Rather than sit next to Kyoko, Mifuyu chose to pull over a chair and sit across from her. “I didn’t choose to save you out of interest for your wellbeing. I just couldn’t bear to see you die like that and expect your sins to be repaid.” Was that pain on Mifuyu’s face? Maybe she hadn’t been expecting Kyoko’s harsh words. “You only live for yourself, Mifuyu. As do I. Even the Yachiyo girl understands our innate selfishness, and that only we can make our own wishes come true.” There was a period of silence as the two avoided each other’s gaze. “I… know that as well as anyone.”

“Only make wishes for yourself, huh.” When Mifuyu looked up, her face was pale. “I don’t know if I can accept that. I regret the disaster my selfishness nearly caused.” Kyoko thought on that for a bit, and Mifuyu glanced off to the side, biting her lip and glancing at the door occasionally.

“So what?” was Kyoko’s eventual reply. “What do you think? Once you’re dead and lying in the ground, the state of the world will matter?” She shook her head. “Nah. First focus on your survival, then on protecting everyone. You may feel guilt if your precious Yachan dies and you are left alive, but you won’t feel anything if dead.” Mifuyu gave a miserable laugh, obviously not convinced but not possessing any substantial arguments either.

“You might as well give me an apple,” she joked. Kyoko jerked almost out of her seat.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I’d compare you to a serpent, Kyoko, but you’re too honest for that. But you surely are a temptress with masterful use of your tongue.” Perhaps as a nervous quirk, she loosened the tie of her robe and quickly tightened it again. “Or do you think me too forward?” Kyoko threw her head back. The room’s ceiling was a pale grey, and the paint was chipped and peeling. The only furniture in the room was a dresser layered with dust and containing only a school uniform for a girl a few years older than her and a nightgown, violet in color and fringed with lace. It obviously was a room purposely unused and untouched for at least a year. It was stifling and reminded Kyoko of a shrine.

“I prefer people who speak honestly, as well. I have little doubt that you are doing that, Mifuyu.” Reaching inside the pocket of her shorts which she still wore, not yet having found time to change into Tsuruno Yui’s spare nightclothes, Kyoko pulled out a crumpled box of Pocky. “I don’t have an apple on me, but want one?” Regarding the box blankly for a few seconds, Mifuyu finally pulled out a stick gingerly, holding it between her thumb and forefinger gingerly. Once she took a bite, however, it was gone in a manner of moments, leaving sticky remains of chocolate on her hand. 

“Thank you.” Mifuyu abruptly stood and walked over to the dresser, opening the bottom drawer and pulling out the nightgown. “Kyoko, did you know this used to be my room?” I didn’t know, was on the tip of the redhead’s tongue, but now that she placed everything together (the clothes for an older girl, the shrine-like nature, even the school uniform) the fact seemed too obvious in nature to say that.

“I could gather that,” she lied, resulting in a giggle from Mifuyu.

“I thought you said you liked honest girls,” retorted the grey-haired girl, tugging on the collar of her robe and pulling her lithe arm from what Kyoko could now clearly see was a dark red robe. “Perhaps you like your opposites?” Kyoko watched, near hypnotized, as the robe slid down Mifuyu’s back onto a messy pile on the carpet. “And, well, I’d say we share little similarity. Would you not agree?” Kyoko grunted, tearing herself away to match Mifuyu’s eyes as the woman turned her head towards the girl.

“And yet you deigned to talk to me. How odd on your part.” Mifuyu gave a noncommittal sound of agreement while throwing her nightgown on. “I’d assume you’d stay with the family you recently found.” It appeared that Kyoko’s words were poignant as Mifuyu tightly wrapped the robe around her clothed body once more. Her mood had taken a downturn, but she still sat beside Kyoko on the bed, causing the red-haired girl to start in surprise.

“My nightgown is already too small,” she confided in Kyoko. “But I can’t borrow one from Yachan--not when I’m too full of guilt to even look her in the eye.” A shuddering breath. “I can’t stay here and drag Yachan back into remonstrations about the past. Not again. She’s moved on and found a new team, with a new family to call her own.” As Kyoko observed Mifuyu’s face, it didn’t seem as though the woman was angry or upset, just defeated. Perhaps it was because, in search for her own salvation, she had ruined her relationship with her dear friends, and there was no way to get them back even after her original goal proved worthless. In a way, Kyoko could understand that, though she never truly would be able to stand in the woman’s shoes.

“Then…” Mifuyu’s head jerked towards Kyoko, a gentle smile forced on her face, hearing the redhead speak. “Do you have any place to stay in Kamihama city?” For some reason, she fumbled over the next words, rephrasing it over and over in her mind. “And… do you have any real reason to stay?” It was a fair question, since, after all, it was likely many of the former feathers held deep-rooted grudges against the grey-haired veteran. In addition, Mifuyu’s scholarship and residence were provided by Touka, and now that the former Magius member was in no state to provide for any others, the woman was alone and without the ability to provide for herself. Being an adult liable to the cruelties of the adult world did her no favors, as well.

“Ah.” Mifuyu’s face was frozen in shock, but she eased back down shortly. “Well, no. But it’s been my home for so long, and at least, if I find myself in real trouble, I can rely on Momoko or Tsuruno.” Heavily sighing, she ran her fingers through loose hair. “I don’t know what to do, honestly. I’ve spent a year and a half with the Magius, and the rest of my life is now in shambles. I think I was too reliant on their salvation--that the only world to know would be one of magical girls, let reality be damned.” Pause. “I was a fool.”

“Then.” It was odd how flustered Kyoko was. She felt as though their positions were reversed, and found it unfair to be called a temptress by Mifuyu when she barely could form words now. “Mifuyu, do you want to come to Mitakihara city with us?” And that inspired shock on the elder’s face. She probably was too wrapped up in her own grief to realize that Kyoko had been leading up to something big. For a few seconds, the redhead feared that Mifuyu had taken personal offense at the words, but was relieved when their hands touched.

“I’d really like that.” Mifuyu wrapped her arms around her knees, curling up into a ball. “Thank you, Kyoko. For everything.” It was odd, Kyoko reflected, that the two could talk more easily than she could with Sayaka, despite the two knowing each other for far longer. Perhaps they were not so different as Mifuyu claimed.

Kyoko didn’t hate that. Maybe she was more romantic than she previously thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know if I should write another chapter about Mifuyu's adventures with Kyoko in Mitakihara City. I feel like Mifuyu and Mami would be really awkward with each other, as would Homura for endangering Madoka, but Sayaka would eventually come to accept her, seeing that Mifuyu shone when it was really important.

**Author's Note:**

> Mifuyu is basically Sayaka here.


End file.
